there is evidence that China is helping Iran economically and diplomatically, but there is much less clear public evidence of direct Chinese military intervention in the war itself. The strongest and clearest evidence involves oil.
The IMF raised its UK growth forecast mainly because the economy has recently shown more strength than expected, despite global shocks. The Fund now expects 1% growth instead of 0.8% for 2026, and it attributes this upgrade to several concrete factors.
The latest jump towards $111 a barrel is mainly being driven by renewed fears that the Middle East oil crisis is not easing after all. Traders had briefly hoped the situation around Iran and the Strait of Hormuz might calm down, but those hopes have faded sharply over the last few days.
The government will modernise the Consumer Credit Act for the first time in over 50 years, giving consumers clearer information and firms the flexibility to innovate. Landmark legislation, first passed over 50 years ago, modernised to reflect how people use credit today.
We may not have many of the outlets mentioned in this video but worth thinking about especially if you go to bigger towns or cities. Are there any secret discounts around in Caithness - just ask.
The idea of governments controlling the prices of basic groceries is politically attractive during periods of high inflation because it gives the impression of immediate action against rising living costs. The Scottish National Party and politicians elsewhere in Europe have periodically discussed versions of price intervention on staple goods such as bread, milk, pasta, eggs or vegetables.
When most people think about tax, they picture a simple list: income tax on wages, National Insurance, VAT on purchases, and perhaps council tax. But in reality, modern taxation is far more layered, more indirect, and increasingly embedded into the way people live rather than just what they earn.
Fuel cards exist, but in the UK they are mostly aimed at businesses, and that’s the key point. However, there are exceptions and a few “workarounds” depending on how you use them.
Oil markets appear 'relatively' calm, but beneath the surface, a dangerous shift is taking place. Strategic reserves, oil inventories and spare capacity are being stretched to the limit.
Manchester is under the microscope due to Andy Burnham getting ready to challenge for a seat as an MP and perhaps further if successful. Manchester has made great stride recently but much of it is founded on increased levels of debt.
For years, Western governments have spoken confidently about “leading the world” on climate action. But if you follow the money, the manufacturing, and the megawatts, a different picture emerges.
Construction insolvencies across Scotland and the UK have risen so sharply that both governments’ housing‑build targets now sit on foundations that are no longer stable. When small firms like Bay Homes on Loch Fyne collapse, it is not an isolated failure but part of a structural contraction in the industry.
Britain’s two-party era is ending, but the roots of fragmentation run deep. The 2026 local and devolved elections have confirmed a long-term trend in British politics: the two-party era is ending.
The big issue is that these emergency oil stocks were never designed to replace normal global supply for very long. They are a bridge — intended to calm markets, buy time for diplomacy, and prevent panic buying — not a permanent substitute for Middle East exports.
Highly respected cultural leader and strategist Bryan Beattie has been appointed by The Highland Council as Bid Director of the Inverness - Highland bid for UK City of Culture 2029. He was recently creative director for the Inverness Castle Experience and interim Chief Executive at Eden Court, and a former Chair of Fèis Rois and Scottish Youth Theatre.
A NEW fund to help owners of long-term empty homes carry out repairs and refurbishments to bring properties back into everyday use will be launched later this month. The fund sits within a wider programme of action outlined to members of The Highland Council on Thursday 14 May, as part of a progress report on tackling the Highland Housing Challenge, which was declared in June 2024.
Almost £2 million was invested by Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS) last year in socio-economic initiatives, supporting good causes in communities local to its 14 decommissioning sites. The NRS socio-economic scheme provided £1,979,721 during 2025-26 to enhance the social and economic wellbeing of communities located near NRS sites.
Why the Highlands is Drowning in Surveys While Nothing Actually Happens. There’s a particular kind of fatigue spreading across the Highlands not the kind caused by long drives to Raigmore or the weekly battle with potholes, but something quieter, more bureaucratic, and somehow even more exhausting.
The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics paint a mixed picture for the British construction industry. On the surface there are signs of resilience, with construction contributing to unexpectedly positive UK GDP growth in March 2026, but underneath the headlines the sector still appears fragile, especially in the housebuilding market.
Data centres have quietly become one of the UK’s fastest growing energy consumers. They are vast, windowless fortresses of servers humming day and night, drawing more electricity than many towns and drinking more water than some industries.